Mountain Hawks drop 143rd meeting on late TD

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Rob Curley hit Kyle Roeder on a three yard touchdown pass with 3:30 to play as Lafayette defeated Lehigh 21-17 in the 143rd meeting of college football’s most played rivalry in front of 16,022 at Goodman Stadium. Lehigh was unable to hold onto a 17-14 halftime lead, as the Mountain Hawks nine-year streak of winning seasons comes to an end. The Mountain Hawks wrap up the year at 5-6 overall, 2-4 in the Patriot League, while the Leopards improve to 7-4, 4-2 in league games.

The Leopards received the opening kickoff and drove 71 yards in six plays, culminating in a one yard touchdown run Rob Curley. Lehigh answered Lafayette’s score with a 65 yard drive of its own. After junior Matt McGowan kept the drive alive with a 24 yard option pass to senior tight end Joe Sutherland, senior quarterback Threatt found junior wideout Mike Fitzgerald in the back of the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown.

Early in the second quarter junior Jason Leo gave the Mountain Hawks a 10-7 lead with a 30 yard field goal. Lafayette re-took the lead with just under five minutes to play in the half. The Leopards drove 65 yards in ten plays and took a 14-10 lead when Tyrell Coon scored on a three yard run.

It took Lehigh just four plays to answer the Lafayette score with a touchdown. The Mountain Hawks drove 65 yard and went back in front by a 17-14 score three minutes before halftime as McGowan powered in from a yard out for his third touchdown of the season.

Threatt finished the first half 4-of-8 passing for 84 yards and a touchdown, and added 54 yards on nine rushes. Junior Josh Pastore was the Mountain Hawks top receiver with three grabs for 37 yards, highlighted by a 28 yard screen pass that set-up McGowan’s score. Curley was 8-of-15 for 165 yards for Lafayette, while Coon ran 16 times for 62 yards.

The Mountain Hawks created the game’s first turnover with just under five minutes to play in the third quarter, as senior Brannan Thomas intercepted Curley at the Lehigh 16 yard line. The Mountain Hawks drove down the field in 14 plays, but failed to capitalize when Leo missed a field goal from 35 yards out.

On the ensuing drive, Lafayette methodically moved down the field 80 yards in 13 plays and took the lead when Curley found Roeder on a quick slant.

Lehigh would get the ball once more time, but Threatt’s fourth down pass attempt was knocked down by Nigel Bryant.

For the game, Threatt was 10-of-20 passing for 108 yards and a touchdown, and added 73 yards on 17 carries. Pastore caught five passes for 40 yards, while Sutherland had three grabs for 39 yards.

Curley earned game MVP honors, going 15-of-25 through the air for 257 yards. He accounted for a pair of touchdowns, one rushing and one passing. Coon finished with 108 rushing yards on 29 carries, while Duaeno Dorsey caught five passes for 108 yards for the Leopards, who earned their fourth straight win over the Brown and White; the first time Lafayette has won four straight in the series since the 1940’s.

EXTRA POINTS… All Lehigh fans received free towels upon entry into the stadium… the towels were designed and distributed by Lehigh’s Student Spirit Committee and sponsored by corporate partners Pepsi and Dick Milham Ford-Toyota-Scion… Saturday’s attendance was 16,022, the fourth largest single-game total in Goodman Stadium history… Lehigh has now led the Patriot League in attendance for 17 straight years… the game will be rebroadcast on WFMZ Channel 69 Saturday at 7 p.m., and on Service Electric 2 Sports Sunday at 3 p.m. Fans can also watch the game again anytime on-demand at Lehighsports.com.

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Sedale Threatt

Matt McGowan

Lehigh University Athletics

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